Backstrom: I'm You
by TnJAGAz
Summary: Detective Sergeant Nicole Gravely has had a bad day and lets her emotions get the best of her…we all know who her target will be.


Backstrom – I'm You…

Author: TnJAGAz – also a Backstrom Fan!

Rating: PG

Classification: Character relationships

Spoilers: None that I can think of…yet

Summary: Detective Sergeant Nicole Gravely has had a bad day and lets her emotions get the best of her…we all know who her target will be.

The characters in this piece are the property of Fox Television, Hart Hanson, Far Field Productions, SoulPancake Productions and Fox Television Entertainment – this story is for non-profit entertainment of Backstrom fans only. No copyright infringement is intended or implied.

x*x*x*x*x

Detective Sergeant Nicole Gravely was sitting at her desk, trying her damndest to put the best face on their latest case which her boss, Everett Backstrom, did his best to sink. The words were just not coming to her.

She sat looking at the blinking cursor on her blank report template, trying to dredge up sentences and phrases that would be presentable in court, while omitting all things unprintable [and of course, all those things that would get the case thrown out].

"Gravely!" she heard as she had just begun to create in her mind a wonderful report that, while skirting the truth, made the case a slam dunk for the conviction of a wife beater and two time molester.

"Gravely!"

Inwardly, she groaned and hit the 'save' button. At least she had this much written.

She pushed back her chair, got up and stalked over to his office door.

"What?" she snapped. She wasn't in any mood for his antics right now.

"What's your problem?" he growled as he looked up at her from the chaos he called a desk.

"My problem?!" she sputtered. "My problem is trying to piece together a decent report on this case which, thanks to you, was almost shot to…" She paused a moment and took a deep breath, forcing herself to mentally take a step back. No, she wasn't going to sink to his level.

Everett Backstrom watched her trying to rein in her hostile thoughts. That wouldn't do. He'd fix that. "I think the phrase you're looking for 'is shot to hell'. But we got him, didn't we?"

Gravely could not believe what she was hearing. "That's not the point! You violated several protocols and nearly put our suspect in a grave!"

"He deserved it," was all he said in response as he leaned back in his chair.

That did it. She marched over to his chair and pulled him upright. "I'm you…I'm a smug, arrogant lout who doesn't give a damn about anyone and only happy when you get your man! Rules and regulations be damned!" she snarled.

She was almost nose to nose with him. He smelled like cheap vodka and cigar smoke and his beard was scruffier than usual. But she saw…something…in his eyes. It made her quickly let him go.

She didn't notice that entire Special Crimes Unit team was watching what was taking place in Backstrom's office.

"Are you done?" he said snippily, still holding her gaze. "Did you get it out of your little system?"

Gravely turned on her heel, her face flushed crimson, and stormed past the shocked faces of the other members of their unit.

Nadia stood up to follow her as did Niedermayer.

"Let her go," snapped the volatile Head of the S.C.U., leaning back in his chair again and putting his cap over his face.

Detective John Almond silently shook his head to their anxious faces. Best not to interfere with what just happened he relayed to them with a look.

The team members reluctantly returned to their desks.

**x*x*x*x*x**

Thirty minutes later, Detective Sergeant Gravely returned to her desk. Without saying a word to anyone, she began typing furiously on her keyboard. Officer Frank Moto exchanged a look with Detective Almond. "Not yet," he said quietly to the robust Portland Police officer assigned to the unit.

Moments later, Nicole stabbed savagely at the print button. Within moments, the finished pages of the report began to spit out from the printer. Once the print job was completed, she gathered the pages, looked at them, and then walked briskly over his office doorway.

Everett Backstom sat up in his chair and removed the cap from his face. She walked over to his desk and handed him the sheaf of papers.

"Sign off on this," was all she said.

The Head of the S.C.U. scanned the pages. Without commenting, he picked up a pen and scrawled his name in the appropriate spot.

She took the papers from him and walked out, not looking back.

"You're welcome," he said snidely to her retreating figure. Ignoring him, she walked over to her desk, grabbed a folder, and shoved the papers inside. She made her way out of the S.C.U. bullpen and down the hallway toward the elevators.

John Almond came over to his boss's door. "Why do you needle her?" he asked plaintively.

Everett Backstrom sanguinely looked at the tall African American detective. "She needed a reason to get that report done and to stop thinking about all that distracting crap that was keeping her from doing it."

"By 'distracting' you mean those things that were bothering her conscience?" John replied dryly.

"I gave her a reason to get it done," he said without elaborating.

John thought about this for moment. "So making her mad allowed her to get the report completed."

Everett leaned back in his chair. "Yeah."

**x*x*x*x*x**

Later in the afternoon, Nicole was sitting at a small table in a corner of the staff break room watching the rain come down. It had been pouring heavily since early morning. Nadia came over and sat down across from her.

"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice full of genuine concern.

Nicole gave her a weary smile. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"That was some performance in there. I've never seen you…so…worked up, as you say."

"He just pushes my buttons sometimes," she allowed, looking back at the window again.

"Just sometimes?" Nadia said with a hint of mischief.

Nicole looked back at her and began grinning despite being caught in her white lie. "Okay, almost all the time." she admitted.

Nadia smiled. "You felt something, didn't you?"

"I don't know what you mean," Nicole said evasively.

Nadia's smile grew wider. "I think you know exactly what I mean. It is why you suddenly let him go."

"We're not having this conversation," Nicole said tersely as she stood up. As she started to leave, Nadia reached out and touched her arm, stilling her.

"It is all right, I have had those feelings too. He is a very interesting man," Nadia said gently and quietly to her, hoping to coax more out the young woman.

Nicole's face colored. "Look, I've got to get back. I've been here long enough," she said hurriedly as she broke away from Nadia's touch.

Nadia sighed as she watched her leave the room.

-FINIS


End file.
